Temptation After Dark: Gansett Island Series, Book 24 by Marie Force

Author:Marie Force [Force, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub

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At the clinic, Jared paced the hallway outside the cubicle where Lizzie was with the baby, who hadn’t stopped crying in what seemed like hours. They’d done everything they could think of to soothe her—fed her, changed her, rocked her. Nothing had helped. His nerves were shredded, and Lizzie’s had to be, too, even if she never gave up on trying to pacify the baby.

Dr. David Lawrence approached him. He was tall with dark hair and wore a white coat and an exhausted expression. Summer on Gansett was rough on a number of island residents, including the clinic’s only doctor. “So sorry to keep you waiting, Jared. We had a moped accident in town with multiple trauma patients that had to be stabilized before we could send them to the mainland.”

“Those damned mopeds.” Island residents hated them. Tourists loved them.

“You said it. I’d personally outlaw them if I could. We have a serious moped accident come through here at least once a week all summer long.”

“Are the new patients expected to make it?”

“They are, but it’ll be a rough recovery.”

“Sorry to hear it.”

“What’s up with the little one?”

“I wish I knew. She’s been inconsolable for hours. We weren’t sure if it was normal or something to be concerned about. We have no idea what we’re doing.”

“I’m sure you’re doing great. Let me take a look and see what we can do.”

Jared followed David into the cubicle where Lizzie was standing, swaying back and forth in her latest attempt to calm the crying baby.

“Let’s put her on the table,” David said.

Lizzie did as he asked, placing the baby on her back on the table.

The baby wasn’t having that. Her little face turned red, her hands curled into tight fists, and she screamed her head off.

Jared went to Lizzie and put his arm around her rigid shoulders. He hated seeing her so undone and wanted to rage at Jessie for doing this to them, even if he knew that wouldn’t help anything.

David performed a thorough exam of the baby, who’d finally stopped screaming. Figured. “I suspect we might be dealing with gas. Her abdomen is rigid.”

“What do we do about that?”

“I’ve got some drops we can give her to ease her discomfort. I’ll be right back.” He waited until Lizzie was there to make sure the baby couldn’t fall off the table before he left the room.

“Gas,” Lizzie said. “All this over gas. Who even knew that was a thing with babies?”

“Thankfully, David knew.”

“Maybe this is a sign that we’re not cut out for parenthood.”

“It’s not a sign, Lizzie. You’re doing great with her. You can’t be expected to know everything there is to know when you had a baby dumped in your lap. Most people have months to prepare themselves. You had minutes.”

The baby sucked on her own fists as her body shuddered with sobs.

“She needs a name. Something we can call her besides ‘the baby.’”

“We can’t name her.” With every passing second they spent with the baby, Jared felt more desperate to free them from this situation.

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